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Dover Township senior clocks nearly 20,000 miles on stationary bike

Every day, Ed Gleason, 69, bikes 5 to 6 miles on his 1970s Sears stationary bike to stay healthy.

By Leigh Zaleski

lzaleski@ydr.com @leighzaleski on Twitter

Updated:
11/05/2013 11:26:21 AM EST

Ed Gleason, 69, rides his Sears stationary bike at a constant 25 miles per hour in his Dover Township mobile home in October. Gleason, who turns 70 in March, bought the bike in the mid-1970s. He pedals about 6 miles every morning before lifting small dumbbells, drinking 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and walking a mile. (CHRIS DUNN -- DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS)

In a spare room of his mobile home, Ed Gleason pedaled at a moderate pace on his Sears FXC5000 stationary bike that he bought in the 1970s.

The Dover Township resident wore a green shirt that read "Gleason's Pub," a baseball cap to match, black mesh shorts, white socks that covered his ankles and a pair of gray Sketchers. His sculpted legs turned at a constant 25 miles per hour. As he pedaled, he kept his arms relaxed.

Gleason tipped his cap as he talked about how people think he's much younger than 69 years old. He said some people say he looks like a bodybuilder.

Ed Gleason, 69, of Dover Township pedals his Sears stationary bike that he bought in the mid-1970s. For the past 14 years, he has biked 6 miles nearly every day — part of his routine to stay fit as he ages. (CHRIS DUNN -- DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS)

He carries a sense of hyper-vigilance when it comes to his health. Every day at 6 a.m., he bikes 5 to 6 miles in 15 minutes and does arm exercises with 5-pound weights. Afterward, he drinks 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar -- he says it prevents aging -- and chases it with a sip of juice. He eats oatmeal, reads the paper, then walks a mile around his neighborhood. He often walks alone because he likes to keep his pace.

"Average people don't do what I do," he said. "Young ones don't do what I do."

Gleason has pedaled his stationary bike nearly every day for the last 14 years. Before he started that routine, he biked on the road but stopped because it became too dangerous. He keeps track of his mileage on small pieces of paper held together by a piece of scotch tape, which he keeps tacked on his bike's off-white frame. He has replaced the pedals, which broke, and the seat, which wore out.

In September 2005, he hit 10,000 miles. In April, he clocked 19,000 miles. In October, he was less than 500 miles short of 20,000.

When asked if he uses his time on the bike to think about his day or clear his mind, he said he sometimes sings: church songs, Elvis, Elton John and Billy Joel.

His wife, Gloria Gleason, said he's proud of his milestone and that he often shares that excitement with her.

Gleason said he has always been interested in taking care of himself. He and Gloria eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, sandwiches and salads. He stays away from soda and sugar. He said he's been the same weight for the last 20 years. At 5-feet-7-inches, he weighs 174 pounds.

He said he became more interested in working out in the early 1980s after befriending a bodybuilder in Bridgeport, Conn., where he lived before moving to York in 1988. He has always admired Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone.

Gleason said good health requires a commitment. He said seeing more and more people who are overweight or obese encourages him to be active and eat healthy.

Ed Gleason's bike has an odometer that has cycled over once -- in September 2005 -- and that has clocked more than 19,000 miles. Gleason said he doesn't identify with being a senior citizen. He doesn't want to slow down. He wants to keep moving. (CHRIS DUNN -- DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS)